Forbidden Vegetables
by fuzzypinkcupcake
Summary: It's the beginning of Cho's seventh year at Hogwarts. She doesn't know what to do, no longer with Harry. Draco is leading her along... will she take the bait? Rated M for a reason...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The First Day is Always the Worst Day

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. If I did, I wouldn't be here, would I?

(**A/N:** Everything in italic is from Cho's point of view. Then again, you're smart, you'd probably figure that out anyway... In any case, this is my first fanfic, so any and all reviews are GREATLY appreciated! Also, I must give credit to **Craziegirl29** for helping me select the title. Tanks, and enjoy!)

Cho Chang gave a lingering sigh and stepped gingerly onto the Hogwarts Express. It was the beginning of her seventh year, and she felt more nervous than she had been when she was eleven years old. In terms of looks, however, Cho had grown into a beautiful seventeen year-old girl. For example, her thick black hair was lengthy and shined with a healthy luster. The boards creaked noisily beneath her feet as she made her way down the passageway. It seemed as though all of the booths were occupied. _God, why aren't there any spaces? If I were still with Harry, I'd be able to sit with him... Wait. No. Stop! Don't think about that... You promised yourself that you'd forget about Harry, that you'd move on and find someone else. Stop pining and grow up already, Cho Chang! You're no longer a little girl._ Cho hated these constant battles with her subconscious, which seemed to be occurring more and more often within the past few weeks.

She continued making her way down the corridor, her mind flooded with confusion. All of a sudden, a foot popped out from one of the doorways, and Cho tripped, very nearly spraining her ankle. Her books were now scattered on the floor, and her robes flew open, revealing her short skirt and crisp white blouse. _What just happened? I am going to KILL whoever this person is..._ Her thoughts were interrupted by a slender young man leaning on the door frame. Cho stared upward and was awestruck. It was Draco Malfoy, in all his Slytherin splendor. For some reason, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his face. She was paralyzed. _Why am I so transfixed by Malfoy? Why am I suddenly so infatuated?_ Cho's mind was overrun with a sense of overwhelming, unexpected, and inexplicable desire.

"Going to get up, Chang? Or do you need Potty and the gang to lift you?" Malfoy's mouth slid upward in a nasty curl, snickering at Cho's predicament. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? We'll soon fix that." Malfoy grabbed Cho's hand, and before she could object, pulled her into the compartment, locking the door behind him and drawing all the shades. He pushed her onto the plush seating, hovering ominously above her trembling figure.

Cho's breaths came in short, sharp pants as Malfoy's thin lips came closer and closer. She shut her eyes and tried not to disregard it when he began to kiss her neck. Cho tried to thing of other things, just to sidetrack her mind, but nothing worked. Her head was spinning madly. Her heart was jumping out of her chest as Malfoy nibbled at her lower lip and pushed her robes off of her shoulder, laying his icy fingers on her heated flesh. Cho could barely contain herself. _Harry never attempted to do this with me. I hate Draco Malfoy... or at least I thought so. Why am I feeling this way?_ Cho tried to reason with herself, but Draco's tongue was pushing its way into her mouth, and she couldn't refuse him any longer. _I guess it's true what they say about romance, resistance really is futile._ She dragged her fingers through Malfoy's blond hair and tousled it a little, just to tease him. Malfoy grinned as he slowly unbuttoned her blouse. Cho's face turned scarlet with embarrassment, having never actually been in such a situation. She'd come close, but nowhere like this. _Oh my God, he must be serious about this! Well, in that case..._ Cho allowed Malfoy to slowly unclasp the snaps of her bra, ripping it off her in such a savage manner that she began to question his credibility as the "lover" he so often bragged to be at the dinner table last year. _He's a bit rough around the edges, but hell, if I don't do this now, when will I?_ Cho let Malfoy continue to remove her clothes and helped him take off his own. Their legs moved together unevenly, twisting and tangling together, in erratic syncopation.

Out of the blue, Malfoy tore himself away from Cho. Cho was dumbfounded. _WHAT? _

_Why is he doing this? We were doing so well..._ "Where are you going? Come back here,

Draco Malfoy!" Cho felt her heart sink and pushed some stray hairs out of her eyes. She

was nearly naked, except for her undergarments. _Well,_ she thought with dread, _can this _

_day get any worse?_ Just then, Neville Longbottom walked into the booth, and stared at

the sight before him, eyes wide.

(**A/N:** I know, not the greatest, but that's just my two cents. Read and review, mes amis! I appreciate it, really, I do! I'll only update if I get five reviews or more, not counting Craziegirl29... so everybody, please, review!)


	2. Ante Meridiem

Chapter 2: Ante Meridiem

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. If I did, I wouldn't be here, would I?

Notices:

**Craziegirl29-** well of course I know you'll have something good to say... of course, you're my beta reader. xD And many, many tanks for all the help! You and your chicken chips...

**Maichang-** WOO HOO! -cackles madly- First new reader that I don't personally know from the real world! Tanks SO MUCH for your review! It means a lot! Keep reading and reviewing!

(**A/N:** I haven't gotten many reviews... so, in an effort to attract more readers, here is the second chapter! Read and review, and tell me what you think! Tanks! ALSO: "Ante Meridiem" is Latin for "being before noon." Thought I better let you know, in case you were wondering. AND PLEASE, when you read this chapter, keep in mind that this is the very first day of Cho's seventh year and Draco's sixth, so it's technically the beginning of _HBP..._ just reminding you.)

Cho's face turned the darkest possible shade of crimson as her eyes met with Neville. "I – I'm sorry, Cho. My compartment is next door, I must've made a mistake. Excuse me." Cho accepted his mumbled apology, but then instantly realized, _what if he tells anyone about this? Someone else probably saw Draco either enter this cabin earlier or leave it just now..._ "Wait, Neville, come back here a minute," Cho said anxiously, grabbing her robes and throwing them on quickly. Neville tiptoed back inside the compartment, flush with embarrassment.

Neville sat down on the plush seating, averting his eyes from the girl in front of him. Cho understood his apprehension and nervousness. "Neville... you weren't meant to see what you saw. Please don't tell anybody, OK?" Neville gulped. "But Cho... isn't this Draco's compartment? Why are you in here in the first place?" Cho sighed. "Yes, Neville, this is Draco's compartment. It's a long story. I don't want to bore you with the details. Just please don't say anything to anyone, OK?" Cho looked at Neville in despair, hoping to get the message across. _Oh God,_ she thought to herself, _what must he think of me now? I don't want to be ruined by this. I don't want to be a "marked woman" or whatever that slimy little Slytherin airhead Pansy Parkinson calls it. God, I hate her... I know that Neville is a nice boy and all, but I don't know, he could do anything. I have to be safe and make him promise not to tell._ All this time, Neville was contemplating the situation at hand. "Cho, I will keep this a secret... but in return, you must do something for me." Cho's insides shriveled up at this statement. _What could the favor be?_ Neville smiled, even smirking a bit. "You have to fix me up with Ginny Weasley. You absolutely must, or the deal is off." Cho instantly blanched at the thought of romance, even at the notion of a date. _But wait... it can't hurt, right? I mean, what can happen? Nothing. I guess I'll go through with it. Who knows? Maybe I'll find someone of my own, too..._ "Yes, I'll do it, I'll help you," Cho said, tossing her hair to the side with an air of pride. She would do the best job possible to make Neville Longbottom and Ginny Weasley a couple. _But can this day get any weirder? I mean, maybe it's me. Maybe I'm crazy, and maybe this is all a terrible delusion caused by one of Aunt Belinda's pumpkin cakes,_ Cho thought silently to herself, as the train slowed down and came to a halt. Hogwarts lurked in the distance, almost as if to say, _Welcome back, Cho. Welcome home._

Cho was fully dressed and ready to exit the train. As she was nearing the doorway outside, she passed by Pansy Parkinson's compartment, where the door was ajar. She glanced inside, only to find Draco and Pansy curled up together, arms wrapped around each other like squids. Cho stood there for a moment, taking it in, but quickly moved on, trying to delete the image from her memory. She couldn't.

She just couldn't.

(**A/N:** I know, I know, too short, but I'm working on it... oh... um, this random new character, Aunt Belinda, is MINE and MINE ALONE. DON'T STEAL. In any case, is it a good second chapter? Do tell, review me and say so! I'm anxiously awaiting any and all replies... so take a minute out of your life and type the review already!)


	3. Un Hibou et un Arcenciel

Chapter 3: Un Hibou et un Arc-en-ciel

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. If I did, I wouldn't be here, would I?

Notices:

**Answer on the Wind-** Ah... beta readers are awesome! Thanks, Rosie. You're comments are always appreciated. You know that!

**Blackfire-pwns-all-** Thank you for your huzzah! I shall indeed continue.

**Sunsun18-** Thank you for liking my plotline! After all, this is my first fanfic.

(**A/N:** "Un Hibou et un Arc-en-ciel" means "An Owl and a Rainbow" in French.)

"HURRY, HURRY, THE GATES'LL BE CLOSIN' SOON!" Cho's stomach grumbled noisily as she hiked up the hillock, towards Professor Grubbly-Plank's shrill, irritating voice. Cho smoothed down the front of her robes and heaved a sigh as she passed through the Hogwarts gates and made her way into the Great Hall.

Cho plopped down into the only available seat at the Ravenclaw table. She found herself sitting next to a girl she had seen around but didn't personally know. This girl had long, shiny black hair and olive skin. She was wearing a pale pink dress, white stockings, and a beaded necklace under her black wool school robes. Before Cho could even speak, the girl turned to Cho with a sweet smile. "Hi! I'm Angelica Delfino, but all my friends call me Angie. I'm in my third year. I've seen you around, I think. Aren't you Cho Chang, Quidditch player extraordinaire?" Angie stopped to take a sip from her cup of gaddleberry juice and waited for a response. Cho sat up and gave her best and brightest smile. "Yes, yes, I'm Cho. I'm not that extraordinary, though, when it comes to Quidditch. Thanks for making me sound better." Angie gave a tiny laugh and finished off her sponge cake dessert. "You're not too shabby, Cho. I've got to run now. See you later!" Angie grabbed her belongings and headed off towards the staircases. Cho watched her skip merrily up the steps.

"You haven't finished your dark chocolate éclair. Your haven't even touched your lemon pound cake. Or that cheesecake stuff. May I have them?"

Cho turned around and found herself face-to-face with a young girl about four and a half feet tall. Her hair was a sort of shimmering silver with sapphire-colored highlights and her eyes were light gray. Her skin was pallid, and her lips gnawed, but her teeth were pearly white. Her robes were black, but fringed and bordered with ornate, cerulean-blue lace. Cho was a bit frightened by the girl's appearance, but nevertheless she asked, "What's your name? I'd like to know exactly who I'm giving my dessert away to." The girl blinked twice. "Me? My name is Lucia Frost. I'm in my first year here at Hogwarts. I was sorted into Ravenclaw just fifteen minutes ago." Cho genuinely grinned at the newcomer. "Sure, Lucia, you can have my food. It's not too bad, really, I'm just not hungry. I need to think some things over, is all. I have a lot of things to decide."

Lucia nodded as she bit into the wedge of pound cake. "I've been assessing and evaluating my future too. I can't wait until the day when I'll be able to conjure my own Patronus. As soon as I get an "Outstanding" grade in all my N.E.W.T. exam subjects, I plan to become an auror. And I know I can do it. I believe in myself. Back home, I used to sketch the landscape. You know, dales and knolls and wolds and such. I feel the same way now that I feel when draw, and that is confident." Lucia wiped the crumbs away from the corners of her mouth and wiped some jelly off her nose with a napkin. "Oh," Lucia shouted suddenly, "I told Professor Trelawney I'd meet her as soon as I finished my meal! Sorry, Cho, I will see you later." And with that, Lucia gathered up her bags and rushed off. Cho was left sitting by herself at the Ravenclaw table.

"Great. I meet two nice girls in my house, and they leave me within minutes. Don't I have any true friends?" Cho muttered to herself, brushing some stray hairs out of her eyes. "Oh, ah, well. I'll just go off to the common room." Cho stood up and walked right out of the Great Hall. She was about to go up the main staircase when Neville Longbottom crossed right in front of her, arms folded across his chest.

"Why, hello, Cho! Making plans for my happiness with Ginny?"

(**A/N:** AHHH, CLIFFHANGER! Read and review! Read and review! R&R! Many, many thanks. And I know, no actual thoughts from Cho in this chapter, but there will be some interesting happenings in chapter 4. Now I've got to start writing it, before my friend Angelica A. does it forme...)


	4. Don't Judge a Girl by Her Appearance

Chapter 4: Don't Judge a Girl by Her Appearance

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. If I did, I wouldn't be here, would I?

Notices:

**Serena Goodkey-** Thank you for having an interest in my story!

**bluerose x33-** Ahhhh... errrrr... I'm trying! --

(**A/N:** In case you were wondering, in accordance to chapter three's title, the owl and the rainbow will come into play later in the story. Hah, Neville really is acting quite mean, isn't he?)

Cho stopped dead in her tracks. _Oh my God, Neville is STILL coming after me. Something must have really gone nuts in his brain. Either he's developed a Ginny fixation, or he's hell-bent on destroying my life... hmmm, I choose the latter._ "Oh, hi, Neville! I was just looking for Ginny. I didn't see her in the Great Hall." _Oh, Lord, now he's REALLY going to kill me. Ginny's probably in the Great Hall right now, wolfing down some pastries and chatting with her Gryffindor mates. Well, I hope I don't get TOO badly beaten..._ Cho gulped and gave Neville an "I'm trying my hardest" smile. Neville was having none of it, though. "Oh yeah?" Neville asked. "Well, I'm headed toward the Great Hall right now. It's about time I got a bite to eat. We'll see who's telling the truth!" There was a manic glint in Neville's eye. As he descended towards Cho, she gave a small shriek of delight. Baffled, Neville turned around, and was positively overjoyed to see Ginny hopping down the steps. Cho grinned mischievously and nudged Neville "You owe me for this, Longbottom." Then, before he could reply, Cho was off and running up to the Ravenclaw common room. Ginny stopped and stared at Neville, who was staring at her as if in a trance. She poked him on the shoulder and asked, "What's up?"

Neville stared back. "How would you like to go to Hogsmeade next week for tea and chocolates at Madam Puddifoot's?" Ginny broke into a fit of hysteria. "Are you kidding? Doesn't everyone know by now? I'm dating Colin Creevey! Sorry, bad luck, Nev. Maybe next time, eh?"

Cho sank back into her favorite velvet armchair in front of the fireplace of the Ravenclaw common room. This was truly the greatest place in the world to be. Cho was just about to fall asleep when she saw Angelica walk past, whispering "Draco Malfoy is looking for you! Be careful, Cho. He's devious." Then Angelica said goodnight and ran up to the girls' dormitories.

Within a minute, Lucia walked over to Cho, who was just about to fall asleep at this point. Through half-closed eyelids she asked, "Lucia, what's up?" She noticed right away that Lucia looked much, MUCH taller than before. All of a sudden, Lucia began morphing. Cho watched in utter horror as it was soon Draco Malfoy who sat before her and not the girl she had met earlier at the Ravenclaw table in the Great Hall. Draco leered ominously.

"It's amazing what a bit of Polyjuice Potion can do," he hissed. His tongue flickered back and forth, like the dying flames in the fireplace. Cho was frozen with uncertain terror. "Don't worry," Draco promised, "I will be back soon enough. Sooner than you think." Draco leaned in, as if to kiss Cho, or even strangle her, but he just touched her nose with his own. Then he walked out of the room, leaving a speechless Cho to wallow miserably in her thoughts.

After a half hour of deliberating, Cho retired to the girls' dormitories. And sure enough, the real Lucia Frost was sound asleep and snoring. Cho gave a silent laugh and climbed into her four-poster bed.

_Well,_ Cho thought as she drifted off to dreamland, _this has definitely been the strangest first day at Hogwarts ever. Ha, maybe tomorrow can be normal... pshhhhyeah, right._

(**A/N:** I know, it's weird, it's weird. Just bear with me. I'm trying. R&R, me mateys, R&R!)


	5. Nobody Puts Cho in the Corner

Chapter 5: Nobody Puts Cho in the Corner

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Never have, never will. If I did, I wouldn't be here, would I?

(**A/N:** OK, OK, this was on a deadline. Also, the title of this chapter is based upon the Fall Out Boy song title, "Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner." So... yeah... anyways... enjoy!)

Cho awoke to the sounds of owls tapping at the windows and girls brushing their hair. Cho got out of bed and prepared for the first class of the day: Potions. _Great,_ Cho thoughts, _this is just great. Time to go get slaughtered by Snape's icy stare._

The day passed by slowly and lazily. By 9:00 PM, Cho had finished all of her homework and was walking the halls by herself, quill and parchment in hand. Cho was scribbling down random bits of poetry. She found herself doing this more and more often; was there something wrong with her? Was there something wrong with loving to write? _I find myself writing so much these days,_ Cho thought to herself as she jotted down some lines. In fact, within a few minutes, she had a whole poem. She stopped in the corridor to read her finished work.

"Pushed Aside"

_There's so much that I want to say, to do_

_Too little time, too few people that care_

_Nobody pays attention to the young people_

_All the adults push you aside_

_I would like to tell you elders: we teenagers have voices, too!_

_I'm just a seventeen-year-old witch, but I've got a heart and a mind_

_Just like anybody else_

_Don't push me aside_

_Don't push me aside_

_I'm not a rag doll_

_I'm a living, breathing girl_

_I've got eyes and a nose and breasts_

_I am alive, alive, ALIVE!_

_I am here in front of you_

_Nothing more than what you see_

_And you only see me._

Cho smiled and rolled up the parchment, happy with the results she had gotten. She headed down the hallway, towards the Ravenclaw common room, when a figure suddenly cornered her.

Draco Malfoy, smirking.

Cho's eyes widened when she saw Draco. He pushed her into the corner of the corridor, fingering her jet-black strands of hair. "Cho," Draco purred, "you know that you can't elude me. You can't escape me forever, so don't even try. Submission is the only answer." His words flowed like the sweetest merlot wine, like the kind Cho had had a cup of at last year's holiday gala at home in London and gotten woozy off of. Cho was trapped, being smothered by Draco and his evil eyes. Draco and his slithery, smooth talk.

Draco and his obvious need for attention and affection.

So Cho decided it was time to fight back.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Cho screamed and slashed wildly at Draco's face, her pretty pink nails leaving narrow crimson-colored marks on Draco's cheeks and nose. She pulled his a fistful of his hair out, and spat at him.

Draco fell back onto the marble floor, speechless. He whispered a reply.

"I-I-I don't know what came over me. S-s-sorry, Chang."

And with that, Draco fled the scene, leaving a very distraught Cho to collapse onto the floor, sobbing. It would be morning before Professor McGonagall found her and escorted her back to her common room to clean up and get ready for her classes.

Nobody suspected a thing.

(**A/N:** Ah, didn't see THAT coming, did you? Well, now that you've read, please review.)


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